Kalaheo rallies to beat McKinley in OT, 42-37


Kalaheo's Gabby Clark puts up a shot over McKinley's Savanna Gonzales.. Sylvia Lee | SL

Reserve Jade Martins scored 10 of her team-high 13 points in the second half, four in overtime, and Kalaheo stunned East top seed McKinley, 42-37, Friday night in a semifinal of the O'ahu Interscholastic Association White girls' basketball tournament at McKinley's Student Council Gymnasium.

In the other semifinal, Kailua upset West top seed 'Aiea, 54-42, also in OT. Delcie Williams had a season-high 17 points for the Surfriders.

The Mustangs (7-6), the East's third seed, will play East second seed Kailua (7-6) for the White title Thursday at Waipahu. Both have secured Division II state tournament berths.

Meanwhile, the Tigers (7-5) will play Na Ali'i (6-5), the West's top seed, for third place Thursday at McKinley. The winner gets the OIA's third and final state berth.

With the game tied at 34 after regulation, both teams exchanged turnovers to start the overtime period. After McKinley was called for traveling, Martins' putback put the Mustangs ahead early in the OT. She later converted both ends of a one-and-one with one minute, 22 seconds left to widen Kalaheo's lead to 38-34.

With 59 seconds left, Jayla Tamashiro sank both of her free throws to open Kalaheo's lead to six.

It wasn't until 3:58 later of the four-minute OT that McKinley finally answered with a 3-pointer by Miranda Schmillen to make it a one possession game. But the Tigers had to foul quickly for a chance to get the ball back. Didn't matter, as Gabby Clark also made both her free throws to seal the game.

"Jade was a beast," Kalaheo coach Neil Bowers said of the 6-foot tall Martins. "The last four games, she's been good for us coming off the bench."

Someone had to counter McKinley's 6-foot post Taisha Thomas, also a force under the board. She also had 13 points to go along with 12 rounds and two steals. But the Mustangs were able to contain her to five points after an eight-point first half. Kalaheo switched from man to a 1-2-2 zone in the second half.

The Tigers led most of the game - 12-5 after the first quarter and 20-15 at the half - but saw the Mustangs chip their deficit to 26-25 by the end of the third quarter.

Kalaheo twice took the lead in the fourth. It led 34-32 with 57 seconds left when Tara Takata made the front end of a one-and-one, but Thomas got the rebound on the second missed free throw. Thomas scored with 38 seconds left and was fouled in the process. But she missed and free throw and Martins came down with the rebound.

The Mustangs lost control of the ball on the front court and McKinley took over on a simultaneous possession with 26 seconds left. McKinley brought the ball down court and called time with 22 seconds. But when the put the ball back in play, the Mustangs' defense tightened up and the Tigers, who also nearly lost the ball at mid-court, got off a poor shot as time ran out, sending the game to OT.

At 'Aiea, Na Ali'i trailed 35-29 after three quarters before outscoring the Surfriders, 13-7 to force overtime. But Kailua blanked 'Aiea in the extra period.

Pumehana Beltran led all scorers with 19 points for 'Aiea.



Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at [email protected].